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ctjacks
USA
8 Posts
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 Posted - 06/13/2007 : 12:48:17
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I am new to this forum and am making my first post...I have been in the data networking industry for about 13 years.
Recently, for my employer I had to take these Cisco tests: 646-229 IPCC Advanced Account Manager Exam, 646-203 Sales Expert Exam, 646-361 Foundation Express For Account Managers, and 646-391 Lifecycle Services Express Exam. My issue is: except for the 646-229 exam, Cisco and/or Cisco Press offered nothing I could find in terms of study materials besides a few vauge sentences re: the content on the exam. For the 646-229 test they offered some lame on-line training.
So, I used TestKing's "study guides" to pass these exams. I hated to do that, but otherwise I had no chance to pass these tests, even with all my experience. (BTW, +/- one or two questions the TestKing "study guides" were the tests verbatim).
If Cisco/Cisco Press won't put out study guides for these tests, how do they expect people to pass them without resorting to sites like TestKing?
Chris J.
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BosonMichael
USA
199 Posts
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Posted - 06/13/2007 : 14:48:22
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Real-world experience. Certifications, as they were originally designed, are to show that you already have experience with a topic, not that you've studied a few books to pass an exam.
TestKing isn't an authorized method to pass the exam; if Cisco discovers you've used them, they can decertify you and prevent you from certifying in the future. Yeah, it's unfortunate that there are no authorized study guides for those exams... but that doesn't make it OK to use a braindump in order to pass. |
BosonMichael
MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCDST, MCDBA, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
Served proudly, US Army, 98C Intelligence Analyst, '89-'92 |
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 06/13/2007 : 15:26:38
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Chris,
I do not endorse what you did. Had you even considered using anything like alt.certification.cisco or the like to ask questions about the exam rather than just outright cheating? CertGuard isn't the place to atone for what you've done wrong, rather this is a haven for people to ask where to find the proper training materials instead of lowering their integrity to cheat. Can you go to your employer and tell him/her that you've used CCIE NDA Violated information to pass your exam, or would that cause you to lose your job? In the end, you've done yourself, your employer, and your fellow co-workers a major disservice rather than simply attempting to pass the exam without cheating based on real-world experience like BosonMichael said. This has been noted in the Admin logs as you did violate our http://www.certguard.com/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6 forum rules, Rule #3. An infraction has been placed on your account. |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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Posted - 06/13/2007 : 16:53:59
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quote:
Originally posted by ctjacks
If Cisco/Cisco Press won't put out study guides for these tests, how do they expect people to pass them without resorting to sites like TestKing?
Chris J.
#1, As Michael stated...Experience!
#2, The Cisco website HAS information related to that topic, I've seen it.
#3, There are people in the Cisco Academy that can help you.
#4, There are CCIEs at nearly every Junior College in the United States that you could have talked to.
It is apparent that you knew beforehand TKs were illegal...yet you still went for them. In my book, that is just as bad as if you were to walk into a department store and steal a pair of shoes.
Yet you just walked right into the Police Station and admitted it.
I believe that blatant violations of any NDA/Exam Security Policy is inexcusable. |
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ctjacks
USA
8 Posts
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Posted - 06/13/2007 : 22:31:14
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Let me make two things clear that I didn't make clear enough in my first post:
1. My EMPLOYER directed me to purchase "study guides" from the braindump site. As per my direction they now no longer do so. I then proceeded to study for the four exams at once.
2. I didn't know the above-mentioned site was violating NDAs until I got a few tests into the program...I thought it was a little strange after the first test, and by the 3rd test I realized what they were doing. After then I did some more research and found this site.
Can someone point me to legitimate study materials for these tests for my co-workers? I have searched Cisco.com, the Internet, and the Usenet groups and have had no luck. I also searched for classroom courses for these tests with no luck either. I would dispute that you could pass these tests (especially 646-391) with just experience - if anyone has done so please contact me. These aren't technical tests that people on the CCIE/CCNP/CCDP track would take.
Chris. |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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Posted - 06/13/2007 : 22:51:40
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Yeah Chris, that may have been good to note.
For legitimate Practice Test Materials you have a few options.
#1 is of course, the Certification Vendor...in your case, Cisco has alot of information. As for information on the tests that you're looking for, BosonMichael may be able to assist you. If you're not aware, Boson is one of the Largest Cisco Practice Test Providers and they have created many Sims to help pass the exams.
#2, we have a page dedicated to Legitimate Practice Test Providers just for your situation. So refer all your coworkers (AND YOUR EMPLOYER) to http://www.CertGuard.com/reviews.asp
Point out to your employer our Braindumps page (http://www.CertGuard.com/Braindumps.asp) as well. |
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 06/13/2007 : 23:11:18
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All I have to say are these few scribbled words and questions:
Why atone here? Have you contacted Cisco and asked for them to allow for you to retake the exams? I contacted Cisco today via their 1-800 number and verified that these are exams that are based upon experience and that the only examples they give are the example questions on their site. No published material is out about how to be a "Cisco Sales Expert" or a "Cisco Manager", nor is there a CNA curriculum for these certifications. This is ultimately something that someone with an MIS degree, most definately with experience in the IT field, would merit the reasoning behind wanting to take these exams. The only two real questions I have are these:
1. Would you contact Cisco and let them know you cheated on their exam and ask them for atonement?
We're not here for that.
2. Why didn't you just take the exam instead of jumping to what you know now could shatter all of your certifications?
I would have at least sincerely enquired on a UseNet or a well known Cisco Forum like Network World, as to if this were something someone else has taken before spending money on material that TestKing won't let you know is violating the NDA. |
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Cerebrus
India
125 Posts
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Posted - 06/14/2007 : 02:08:00
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Chris,
Firstly, welcome to the forums and thanks for joining CertGuard. It is very heartening to see someone come in from the "dark side". It takes a brave man indeed, to admit that he did something wrong. It is obvious that you are not only concerned about the lack of information that led you to resort to using illegitimate materials for your preparation, but also that this situation would lead others to do the same.
The others have pointed out some good places to find legitimate study information for Cisco... if you do not find them sufficient, please get back to us, and we will do the research for you. We would also appreciate ideas about what else can be done to make this information more accessible to certification aspirants. As you can see, the information is there, but it may not be so apparent.
With 13 years of experience under your belt, you've probably got experience that some of the others may not have. As such, when you dissuade others from cheating and pass on CertGuard's message, you will have credibility. |
C.T.O
CertGuard, Inc.
MCP, MCAD, MCSD.NET
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 06/14/2007 : 19:24:48
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| Bump because I replied. |
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 06/15/2007 : 01:28:24
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And I, even though its annoying as hell that I'm double posting but its the only way to get some people's attention, am bringing this to the immediate attention of the forum:
http://www.networkworld.com/community/?q=node/16249 |
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sysreq
1 Posts
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Posted - 06/15/2007 : 03:33:51
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ctjacks,
I assume from the required exams you have listed your employer is a partner. If that is the case the training materials for all the exams you have listed are available on the Cisco website under partner elearning
http://www.cisco.com/go/pec_publicredirect/
You need to register with cisco and get yourself assigned to your partners account, this will give yo access to the web site.
Once logged in go to course offerings, specialization, advanced specialization, advanced unified comminications, learning maps and select account manager
You can then drill through to the training. |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 06/15/2007 : 11:27:11
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With this post goes my thanks to Brad Reese of Network World.
If anyone has past or current experience taking the above mentioned exams, I'd really like to hear your commentary on them for what you can give.
One of my main concerns is, and hopefully now 'is' would be a past tense, that if you were to do a Google Search on these exams that one or two hits from the Cisco Exam outlines comes up and the rest is followed by braindump sites.
Thank you to all who have contributed to this thread. We at CertGuard do appreciate it and hope that when someone searches something regarding exams, be it Cisco or not, that there is at least information somewhere (and hopefully before) regarding why to stay away from sites that can cause you to decertify. Education is one of our goals. The more people that we show the correct study methods, the less of a chance that the integrity of the certifications are violated. |
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ctjacks
USA
8 Posts
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Posted - 06/24/2007 : 23:42:11
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Sysreq, good post. However, what do you do if you don't work for a partner or if your employer isn't a partner?
Chris. |
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CG001
USA
205 Posts
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Posted - 06/25/2007 : 00:38:19
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quote:
Originally posted by ctjacks
Sysreq, good post. However, what do you do if you don't work for a partner or if your employer isn't a partner?
Then you shouldn't be taking this test to begin with is my impression. How did your employer come upon this testing if they weren't a Cisco Partner at one point? |
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CertGuard
USA
1218 Posts
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Posted - 06/25/2007 : 00:41:46
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Here is the way I look at these Certifications Chris. These certifications were designed for Cisco Partners that are in a place to NEED those certifications.
The sales Certification, for instance, is strictly designed for Active Cisco Partners that sell the equipment. In other words, if you want the Certifications you need to become a Cisco Certified Partner First.
What good does having that certification do you? You can't sell Cisco Equipment (legally) because you're not a Cisco Certified Reseller. What forced you to get the certification was a lack of knowledge of how the system works. I'm not saying that lack of knowledge was on you, but without researching the courses you are partially to blame for it.
If your boss was telling you that you had to get those certifications, then you should have told him that he needed to become a partner and get his Cisco Certified Resellers License first.
To answer your last question, you have a few options:
1. You go to work for a Cisco Partner that specializes in the area(s) you're looking to achieve certifications in.
2. You start your own business and work your way up the food chain like the people that are up there now.
Check out Brad Reese, he's been doing this for a long time: www.BradReese.com. |
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Cisco doesn't provide study guides for all exams
